Load the "Red Cross" Scenario

You scroll through a list of pre-programmed scenarios for the simulation arena and Orchid's behavior. One catches your eye with its description.

"You are a veteran of the Lunar Pacification War returning to a convalescence hospital on Earth to recover from your painful injuries.?

You turn to Katherine and tell her that you would like to try the ?Red Cross? scenario. She nods and begins loading various protocols from the control computers. Bursts of light erupt from the slate-like tiles in the simulation arena, each projection coalescing to form part of the interior of an airy and exceedingly sterile military hospital. You?ve participated in simulations before, for entertainment purposes, but the level of detail afforded here is incredible. When the computers are finished loading all of the projections the simulation arena has been transformed into a perfect replica of a Federal military hospital.

High windows offer views of an unidentifiable night-time urban landscape, institutional curtains billowing slightly in the unseen currents of circulated air. A nurse?s station occupies one corner of the area, with doors to hospital rooms lining the opposing simulated wall. One door stands open, obviously where you are intended to be making your recovery from your heroic military career. The illusion is complete as the bright fluorescent lights that illuminate the long hall of patient rooms extends well beyond the limits of the simulation arena.

Technicians emerge and you watch as Orchid?s chair slowly brings her to a standing position. The technicians dispassionately begin stripping off her white bodysuit and dressing her in a tight white parody of a nurse?s uniform.

?A few ground rules first,? says Katherine. You notice that she is watching the technicians dress Orchid with a bit more interest than she has displayed in anything up until now. ?No real ****. Light bondage and that sort of thing is well within operating parameters, but we do not want to risk damaging the chassis and more importantly you do not want to activate its self defense programming. She is incapable of killing you but she will make sure you are not a threat, and I have seen plenty of testing footage to know that this process can be excruciatingly painful.?

?That?s fine,? you chuckle with slightly **** humor, ?I wasn?t planning on throwing any punches in there.?

?Remember also that once the meme is loaded she will fully believe that she IS whatever or whoever the simulation is telling her to be. To return her to her default state you would say ?Orchid default operating? and to completely terminate the simulation and return Orchid to a suspended ready state you say ?Orchid terminate all operations?. Other than that, try to enjoy yourself.?

Katherine hands you a hospital gown and you duck into the adjacent restroom. With barely contained excitement you strip quickly from your clothes and don the hospital gown.

When you return the technicians are finished dressing her and signal from their separate monitoring stations that the simulation is ready to begin. You walk down a staircase to a plain metal door with a flashing panel above it that displays the words ?WARNING: SIMULATION ACTIVE?. Katherine, who has accompanied you to the door, again wishes you a pleasant experience and then you?re through the door and into the reality of a military hospital.

Orchid walks calmly over to the nurse?s station and stands behind a tall receiving desk shuffling through stacks of forms and other paperwork. Her uniform is so form-fitting that you can see the pebble shape of her erect nipples stretching the low-cut top even from this distance. A lithpad is clipped to her hip pocket and the short skirt of the uniform shows off more leg than anything the government has ever issued including underwear. A peaked medical officer?s cap sits slightly askew on her head, giving her the appearance of someone who has been on the job long enough to not care all that much about protocol. Her lips glisten in the harsh light, a natural gloss that makes them look perpetually wet.

You feign a limp and shuffle slowly towards the nurse?s station. Orchid looks up at you with a surprised expression that quickly becomes one of scorn.

?Lieutenant, I told you not to go wandering, you are still recovering from surgery and you could reopen one of your wounds.?

She hurries over to take your elbow and guides you towards the vacant hospital room. She pulls back the rough blanket and crisp white sheet and eases you tenderly on your back into the bed.

?Now, before I say goodnight, is there anything I can get you??

She smiles warmly and you consider your request carefully.